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The Gift of Reading

In the spring of 2017, Castle Rock Elementary students and staff had the privilege to meet the reading volunteers of Christ Episcopal Church of Castle Rock. These amazing men and women have come to CRE each week during the school year to read with students and offer them extra literacy support. This volunteer program provides not only a reading partner to our students, but also builds a foundation of friendship with their assigned volunteer.

One of these amazing volunteers is Karla Bauman. Karla shared with us her feelings about her work as a reading volunteer and how it tugged at her heart to see children struggling with reading. "I want kids to recognize what reading can offer to them, and how it can provide a personal, educational, and occupational future for them. Reading can give them such joy, contribute to their health, and provide them with distraction from life's struggles," Karla reflected. "I try to instill a love and passion for reading with the kids."

Karla shared that she and her husband Andy, had lost their 14 year old son, Logan, to a pedestrian traffic accident in 2008. Logan loved sports and reading. Logan lived his life filled with passion, enthusiasm, and optimism. Logan devoured his favorite books on Vince Lombardi, the Harry Potter series, and Lemony Snicket. He played football, baseball, and golf with equal unbridled passion and enthusiasm. To honor Logan and the impactful way he lived his life, Karla, her husband Andy, and their daughter Alyse, established the Logan Bauman Memorial Fund. The Logan Bauman Foundation was established to provide resources and endowments toward education for students. "All kids deserve to have the quality of education that every child deserves," Karla says. "It's not just for academics, but is also set up for assisting kids in athletic programs through education, training and exercise.

Through the Logan Bauman Memorial Foundation, Karla offered to purchase Scholastic Short Reads for Castle Rock Elementary; a much needed resource to support guided reading for our students in kindergarten thru 6th grade. In addition, a Buddy Bench, which provides a place to foster friendship and eliminate loneliness, arrives on our playground this spring. Karla shared, "I'm privileged to share how Logan lived his life. So impactful is his memory. We will grow and continue to make a meaningful difference."

Karla and her husband want to continue Logan's legacy by making a meaningful difference in someone's life every day. This is their mantra, their motto. To date, the Logan Bauman Memorial Fund has supported and given back over $250,000 to organizations and schools.

Castle Rock Elementary is honored and humbled to have been a recipient of this foundation. Thank you, Bauman family. Your gift is boundless and will impact the students of Castle Rock Elementary for untold years to come.

District News

The Douglas County School District Board of Education welcomes Dr. Thomas S. Tucker into the role of Superintendent of Douglas County School District. Dr. Tucker officially leads the 68,000 student district as of July 1, 2018.

Nearly 1,500 Colorado students applied for the prestigious Boettcher Foundation Scholarship this year, with 42 being named recipients. Of those, the Douglas County School District (DCSD) is proudly home to four recipients.

When it comes to mental health services, communities traditionally focus on supporting kids as needs arise. This work is crucial for the safety of our students. Equally important, though, is prevention-based programming that can help, early on, prevent the social-emotional challenges our kids may be experiencing from escalating.